


Not When She Owes Me a Dance

by HelloRoseTyler



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Steggy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22088809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloRoseTyler/pseuds/HelloRoseTyler
Relationships: Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

The war may have ended, but Peggy Carter was at war with herself - fighting her feelings every day. When she poured the last of his blood into the river that day, she couldn’t have known it wouldn’t fix her. No feeble ceremony, no New Year’s resolution, no line in the sand ever would. There were days spent entirely in her mind, wondering if he still thought of her wherever his spirit rested. There were nights she fell asleep sobbing. She’d had a perfectly good man, but her memories never faded and her imagination only grew stronger. It wasn’t fair to him. It wasn’t fair to her. She threw herself into her new job and home, picked up several new hobbies, volunteered, exercised, and when all of that still wasn’t enough she went with Angie to the dance halls and imagined the music filling her body - from her toes to the top of her head - until all other functions were secondary. She was still in love with Steve Rogers, and she could do nothing about it.

Today provided no relief to the war raging inside her mind. She had decided long ago that she would live her life in a way that honored what Steve stood for - selflessness, bravery, patriotism. She even found herself looking at the photo on her desk for guidance over the years, searching his comforting face for answers. She had convinced herself this was good for her and provided closure, but lately she wasn’t so sure. The files sat in front of her. She had difficult decisions to make, decisions that could cost lives, decisions where neither option was honorable. She glanced at the photo then picked it up. “Why am I doing this?” She questioned herself then the photo. “Why can’t I get over you? You’re not even here.” Angry tears began to flow. She set the frame down a little too hard. The glass shattered, puncturing her thumb. “Damnit!” She cried out, more tears flowing. A quick knock barely preceded her office door being thrown open. “Hey, Peg, I need you to sign - ” It was then that Howard Stark looked up from his clipboard. “Peggy, my god, what’s wrong?” ”I broke the picture.” She said shakily before dissolving into tears. “Jesus, Peg.” Howard strode over quickly, dropped his clipboard on her desk, and inspected her hand. He took out his handkerchief and wrapped it around her thumb. He looked at his handkerchief slowly turning red then at Peggy’s tears blackened with mascara rolling down her face. “This is a very expensive tie.” He smiled as he wiped her face with it. Peggy exhaled a small chuckle. “There we go. That was worth it.” Howard said as he pushed back a piece of hair that had stuck to Peggy’s wet face. “I should’ve known. I’ve felt out of sorts all day too.” It had been three years to the day.

“I’ll have Jarvis stop by with dinner.” Howard declared as she reappeared in her office, her face freshly powdered. “Howard, that really isn’t necess-” “You clearly can’t cook; you’re injured.” Howard interrupted, gesturing to the band aid on her thumb. Peggy rolled her eyes. He had cleaned up the glass and thrown away the frame. “The picture?” She asked. “I couldn’t salvage it, but I have the original and one of our after school program kids has been working on enlargements. Pym, I think. It’ll be a good project for him.” Peggy smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Howard, for everything.” “Don’t mention it.” He grabbed her in a hug and pecked her forehead. “Love you, Peg.” “Love you too.” He started for the door but stopped halfway, turning on his heels. “Don’t tell any of my girlfriends I know the L-word.” “Get out of here, Howard.” “Go home, Carter.” He always had to have the last word.

Peggy did go home a bit early all the while irrationally angry at taking Howard’s advice. Jarvis brought a lasagna to be heated whenever she pleased, Peggy’s favorite pie from Angie’s old diner (her headshot hung on their wall of fame now), and bouquet of flowers Ana had grown and plucked. “Are you sure you’re alright, Ms. Carter? I could go back for Ana. We could have dinner together?” “I am absolutely fine, Mr. Jarvis. Give Ana my love. Benny Goodman will be on before you know it,” she joked, “You’d better not be late!” She practically pushed him out the door. She put the lasagna in the fridge deciding that pie was a perfect substitute for biscuits with a late afternoon tea - and that dinner wasn’t nearly as important. 

She had just taken a sip and turned on the radio when she heard the knock at the door. She groaned then immediately felt guilty. Jarvis was terribly sweet, but he couldn’t take a hint. She went to open it, speaking loudly “I assure you, Mr. Jarvis, I am -” She opened the door, and everything stopped. The birds paused in the air, the children playing catch froze with their baseball midair, the cars stopped in the middle of the street, the sun ceased its descent on the horizon. All the air exited her lungs when she gasped. “I’m sorry I’m late, Peggy.” The teacup crashed to the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve Rogers entered the building at 177 Bleecker Street in the year 2012. His eyes scanned the first floor briefly before ascending the stairs. He had but one stone left to return. His mind flicked to the conversation he had with Bucky - the one where he revealed his plan. “Go get her.” He had said. Still, indecision consumed him. He had one vial of Pym particles left. 

“I know what you plan to do, Captain.” The Ancient One remarked from the bottom of the stairs, appearing from thin air. Steve’s head jerked, his body immediately defensive. The time stone floated to The Ancient One’s open hand. “A man out of time.” Steve relaxed his shoulders. “I just want a chance, a chance at a normal life.” He said in a voice tinier than he appeared. “You must understand that your knowledge of the future will not change the past.” Steve nodded, disappointed. “Then I just want a dance. I want to make good on my promise.” “You misunderstand.” Steve furrowed his brow. “This was always your path. This was always her path. But your friends’ paths cannot be altered. I won’t allow it.” Before Steve could respond, The Ancient One waved a hand over the time stone. A flash of green filled Steve’s eyes. 

Suddenly, everything seemed familiar - the crispy orange leaves on the trees, the smell of homemade dinners in the air, the fading sunlight on his skin, the sound of a car horn. He turned just in time to catch a glimpse of her pushing the man Tony lovingly named his technological companion after out the door. “You’d better not be late.” He hadn’t heard her voice in so long, and it was no match for his memory. It sang to him, sent chills through his entire body. He hung on every word. “I’m sorry I’m late.” He whispered. He pushed a button on the nanotech. “I’m sorry I’m late.” He whispered again. The nanotech transformed into a small rectangle. He threw it into the bag that already held his uniform, the pym particles, and a few other items. “I’m sorry I’m late.” He pulled the compass from his pocket. “I’m sorry I’m late, Peggy.” He walked to the door and knocked.


	3. Chapter 3

She didn’t even look down at the shattered teacup. “Steve?” Her voice was weak and quiet, surrounded by tears. He only nodded, tears filling his eyes. “Steve.” She repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. A thousand questions flooded her mind, but when she looked in his eyes none of them mattered. She reached out to him, taking his face in her hands and inspecting it closer. She allowed her brain to catch up with what her heart already knew. This was Steve Rogers; he had returned.

Peggy had watched as star-crossed lovers, separated by the war reunited. They embraced tenderly and kissed sweetly as if the whole world around them didn’t exist. They ignored the sounds of celebration, the music, and even the passing of time. She had celebrated in the streets, gone to parties, and embraced her friends, but there was a missing piece. She was an incomplete puzzle. It wasn’t until his arms wrapped around her waist, until one of them slid up her back, until his hand cradled her head, until his fingers wrapped in her curls pulling one aside to be inhaled with a soft moan, until his lips pecked her temple that she felt a wholeness she didn’t know was missing. 

The children had long since stopped playing catch, the cars had parked in their driveways, and the sun was setting when they finally pulled apart. “How?” Peggy croaked. She watched his face contort, an almost imperceptible change, but one she knew as an expression of pain. She had seen it on the faces of soldiers after the war - ones who had lost friends, ones who had fought unimaginable battles. “You don’t have to tell me right now.” Steve let out a small sigh of relief. She noticed it then. There was something different about his eyes, an age behind them. “You’ve been gone a long time.” He simply nodded. “I couldn’t leave my best girl behind, not when she owes me a dance.” A song they both knew began... “It’s been a long, long time.”


End file.
